Restorations to the James E. Bonine Carriage House, which served as a spot on the Underground Railroad, are making headway.

Restorations to the Carriage House began in 2015, and recently resumed after a break in construction. The foundation of the building was completed mid-May, and the barn doors of structure have only just been completed.

“This is really serving as part of the renaissance of Cassopolis,” said Cathy LaPointe, founding member of the Underground Railroad Society of Cass County. “The history of the Underground Railroad in Vandalia is amazing and people are starting to take notice of that.”

The Carriage House, owned by James and Sarah Bonine, was built around 1850. Evidence from newspapers and historical accounts suggests that the third floor apartment to the Carriage House served as a sanctuary for freedom-seeking slaves.

After being sold from the Bonine family in the 1950s, the Carriage House served as a tractor trader and a feed storage area, before the USRCC acquired the property and the Bonine House across the street in December 2010.

The foundation of the Carriage House, which was renovated with concrete and wood in the 1940s, became in critical need of repair in 2015. To fix this, the USRCC is restoring the foundation back to its original state, with field stone being place inside the structure and cobblestone outside.

The URCC managed to keep the construction work local with Quality Masonry, of Vandalia, working on the foundation and Bullseye Construction, of Vandalia, working with Amish and Mennonite crews to replace the perimeter beams.

“We like to use local contractors when we can,” LaPointe said. “Since we started work on the Carriage House, we have only used local contractors.”

The next steps to the renovation will include restoring the roof and removing the buildings in front of the Carriage House, so that there is a clear view of the Carriage House as it once was, LaPointe said.

When complete, the top two floors of the Carriage House will become a period museum that features artifacts provided both by the URSCC and community members that represent the Vandalia area’s history with the Underground Railroad.

“We want this to be a place where people can go to see their own family items, not just something that we pick up at some flea market somewhere,” LaPointe said.

What has been renovated so far will be on display at Cassopolis’ eighth annual Underground Railroad Days taking place July 7-9. The first floor of the Carriage House and the entirety of the Bonine House will be open for the event.

“The first floor will have what they would have had in the in the Underground Railroad, like a wagon and other artifacts,” LaPointe said. “This is to show people what it was like when freedom-seekers were brought into the Carriage House.”

Restorations to all levels of the Carriage House and the Bonine House are expected to be fully complete by 2018, though the timeline depends on funding, LaPointe said.

Those who wish to contribute can do so by becoming a member of the URSCC or donating to their gofundme.com account. To support the project without spending a dime, people may shop at Harding’s grocery store by using their community rewards program or shop online using Smile Amazon and signing up to support the URSCC.

“This community has been incredibly generous,” LaPointe said. “Our members have really sustained us.”